The Otakus
by BloodStainedWhiteCat
Summary: Tired of being single, Ichigo and Rukia finally decide to make over each other's looks to attract people to date them./Ichiruki/AU/Dedicated to Searaki Icchy


_Disclaimer: BLEACH, Naruto, Detective Conan, Kuroshitsuji, Death Note, Inuyasha, One Piece, Kekkaishi, and other mangas are NOT my property! So is Wikipedia._

_Settings: Alternate Universe. So don't expect the characters to be In Character. I'll try to make them in character as hard as I can. Especially Ichigo and Rukia. Take place in England, Oxford University. I've never been there before, considering I haven't even started college. If I was wrong, well sue me! They are in our current time, 2011-2012._

_Warning: Grammar errors and misstypos scattered every-damn-where. Ichiruki-ness, OOC-ness (Sue me). For IchiHime, RenRuki, YURI or YAOI fans, there are close and back buttons awaits you. Why are you here in the first place, anyway? I don't accept flames in whatever reason. If you don't like this, then don't read. Simple, ain't it?_

_Summary: "Why we can't have dates that last more than three weeks?" "Because we love our mangas more than we love our dates, sweetheart" Tired of being single, Ichigo and Rukia finally decide to make over each other's looks to attract people to date them._

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Author's Note:

This fic is dedicated to Searaki Icchy who has been my greatest influence on writing fic. Maaf, Icchy-nee, saya pakai bhs inggris bikinnya—sekalian untuk memperingati Ichiruki day sedunia (saya sengaja pake bhs inggris biar semua orang bisa baca). Jadi kalo nggak mudeng, PM aku ato langsung ngomong lewat facebook ato twitter. Bakalan langsung saya buatin versi Indonesianya pake google *plak! Jangan nari pom-pom dulu yah :p *menunggu kemurkaan Icchy*

This fic is also dedicated for Ichiruki day in May 12. (Meh, it'll probably late anyway when I posted this.) Well, let's pray together for Kubo-sensei so that he will create Ichiruki babies soon.

In this fic, Rukia and Ichigo will be wearing glasses/spectacles/ whatever it is to make people see their surroundings well. English is not my mother tongue, though I speaks it well, it doesn't mean I know everything about it. Glasses/spectacles/ 'thing that make people see their surroundings better' in Indonesian called 'kacamata'—'kaca' for glass, and 'mata' for eyes—which describe it perfectly, 'the glasses you put in front of your eyes to make you see your surroundings better'. But since this is English, I don't know which is better to put up with. Spectacles or glasses? People with native English tongue, please tell me, which is better to describe this 'kacamata' on Ichigo? Example: "_Ichigo pushes up his glasses_" or "_Ichigo pushes up his spectacles_"? Or is there another synonyms of 'glasses'/'spectacles' that I didn't know?

This is the first time I wrote a non-songfic oneshot in English. So please, be gentle with me; I'm still a greenhorn. This English version is dedicated to everyone! *cheers* And let me tell you again; do not judge the book from its cover! I hope I didn't disappoint anyone. If you do, then just click the back button and don't leave any evidence that you were here. *shot* Okay, ENOUGH with my blabbering! *slapped* On with the show!

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Morte Hourglass presents

_BLEACH FANFICTION_

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**The Otakus**

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Ichigo X Rukia

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Otaku is a Japanese term to refer someone with an obsessive interest towards manga, anime, or video games.

At least that's what wikipedia says.

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"_You leave me breathless. You're everything good in my life. You leave me breathless. I still can't believe that you're mine. You just walked out of one of my dreams. So beautiful, you're leaving me breathless." Sheyne Ward—Breathless_

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"Hey, Rukia?"

The raven-haired girl looks up from her doodling at the sound of her name, "Hm?" She hums.

"I broke up with Nell." The tangerine-haired teen says to his companion without as much as seeing the girl at his desk, but instead he holds a staring contest with the ceiling through his black and orange framed spectacles.

Rukia raises an eyebrow, "How so?"

At that, he looks at his bespectacled raven-haired companion—grinning slightly, "She hates otakus."

Rukia giggles and shakes her head. Her raven hair swinging around her shoulder, "Then you owe me a lunch." She said. "Remember our bet? If you could stay together with Nell for more than three weeks, I'd treat your lunch. But you haven't even reached your third week and she broke you up already." Rukia once again giggles as she crosses her legs beneath Ichigo's desk.

"Yeah, yeah." Ichigo says lazily as he push himself up from his bed. "I still don't get why people like us cannot get a date for more than three weeks." He wonders absentmindedly as he runs his hand through his tangerine hair.

"Like us, do you mean otakus like us?" She asks. "That's simple, dummy. That's because we love our mangas more than we love our dates!" She exclaims rather happily. Rukia jumps around Ichigo's room and lands right in front of Ichigo who is still sitting on his bed with blank face.

Ichigo stares at her blankly, "And explain to me why you are so happy about that fact." Rukia sees his eyebrow slightly twitches through his rectangular spectacles.

"Because now I can get you to the book shop to buy the newest volume of Naruto!" She exclaims; her pale cheeks reddened with excitement. "I can't get there with you if you're still with Nell now, can I?"

He shakes his head at his bespectacled raven-haired best friend as he pushes up his glasses, "You're just still can't get over the fact that Itachi working together with Sasuke, can you?" Ichigo grins slightly upon seeing his best friend pouts cutely.

"You know I'm the number one fan of Sasunaru fandom!" She says, puffs up her humble chest proudly at the self-proclaimed title.

Ichigo shakes his head. "Tell me why I became friends with you, exactly?"

Rukia grins brightly, "Because you love me, sweetheart."

Ichigo rolls his eyes at the pet name but the smile on his face and his soft eyes betraying him, "Whatever, sweetheart."

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Ichigo and Rukia are best friends since they met in Oxford University campus. Rukia is a law student and Ichigo is a medicine student. Rukia is studying to become a lawyer while Ichigo is studying about cancer. They both have their own selfish reasons to do what they do. Rukia's sister was raped and murdered right in front of her eyes when she was very little. The murderer was caught but Rukia's witnesses couldn't get him to be punished properly because she was only four years old. Since then Rukia swore to become a lawyer and bring her sister's murderer to justice. Ichigo has his own reason to become a med-student. His mother died of cancer when he was nine years old. He had seen the sorrow of his family upon his mother's pass. He swore to never let any children to experience the lost of someone they held dear because of cancer. Since then, he studies hard to become a doctor and researching the antidote for cancer.

Beside their matching history, they have another thing in common. They love manga, anime, and they play video games. Other than those, they are completely opposites.

Ichigo is a nerd. Before he met Rukia, he was barely seeing anyone at all. At school, he was quiet, with pink framed rectangular glasses on the bridge of his nose, and his nose always stuck in a book. In high school, he always ranked the first. And underneath him was Ishida Uryuu. Ichigo, though quiet, he is also brash and wild. His orange hair always becomes the center of attraction and that's why he was often involved in several fights with thugs from another school or with seniors. In a fight, he is no longer a nerd; he is a fighter. His body may be lean and rather skinny, but he held muscles underneath that skin. He uses speed to blind and knock away his opponents. But he also uses his muscles to fight rather stronger opponent, especially when he was outnumbered. His quietness and his nerdy glasses are just a mask hiding his wild and untamed nature. Only Rukia knows about this, because once he saved her from thugs—and he never had any fighting partners, aside from Chad or Sado Yasutora.

He began liking manga, anime, and video games after his mother's death. Two years after his mother's passing, his sisters toughened while himself stiffened. He barely felt anything and his sisters were worried about his mental health. That's when Karin, his sister, bought him a Naruto manga. That manga saved his life. At first, he was skeptical and read the manga half-heartedly, but then he was touched at Naruto's eagerness to reach his dreams even if people hated him. He never saw himself as Naruto, not at all. But he learned from Naruto's steel-will, that everything can be gained from will and hard work. Naruto helped him to gain a will to never let any children to experience the loss of their loved ones because of cancer—like him—and helped him working hard to study about cancer and illness. That's when his interest towards manga heightened and he began to read more. Kuroshitsuji, Detective Conan, Kekkaishi, Death Note, One Piece, Inuyasha; Ichigo almost have a library of manga himself—and he was proud of it. He shielded his rain of his mother's death with his love towards manga.

Soon after, Ichigo found out about his intelligence. His mind runs faster than a pack of antelope. After her mother's death, he realized his knowledge was running faster than his studies at school. Although he still read mangas, he never neglected his schoolwork—and he soon realized that he already knew and understood his materials even way before he accepted those information. So he began to read more. Encyclopedias, nearby bookshop, library, Google search, and online education were where he actually got most of his knowledge from—not school. After he was satisfied with theories, he began to try some experiments himself. He asked his father to build an underground laboratory for himself. Off course, his father was skeptical, but he did what he could, and Ichigo has his own personal lab—although it is as small as his room. He did scientific or chemical experiments. Sometimes, he even dissected small animals or plants. One day, he tried an IQ test at some education course—just for fun—the course party who deal with him was shocked to say the least, because he has IQ more than 200. This was shocking, because humans' average IQ is 100 and people with IQ above 120 is already assumed a genius. They had thought that Ichigo was a prodigy. Ichigo had asked to them to keep it a secret and they kept that promise.

His hard work was granted. He graduated from high school with the highest score and he was accepted in Oxford University scholarship in medical faculty. He worked harder ever since and his love towards manga never wavered. However, the rain never cease—until that night when he found Rukia.

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If Ichigo is a natural genius and untamed fighter, Rukia is an ordinary girl. Before she met Ichigo, she never dates—although she did have a few crushes here and there. She was an average in high school; she didn't shine like a number one student she was not. There was nothing special about her, except the fact that she can speak six different languages. That was a well-hidden secret—even her closest friend, Hinamori Momo, don't know about it. She speaks German, English, Italian, French, Spain, and Chinese. After she witnessed her sister's death, Byakuya home schooled her because he was afraid if his wife's baby sister is going to be murdered if he let her roam the street freely. That was where Rukia learned to speaks languages.

The only one knew about that well-kept secret is Matsumoto Rangiku. She is her childhood friend who is only a few years older than Rukia and the closest one that Rukia sees as a mother figure. All Rukia knew about Rangiku's relationship with Hisana was that Hisana already saw Rangiku as her own sister and Hisana had helped Rangiku in a way that Rukia would never understand. All she knew was that Rangiku wanted to repay her debt for Hisana by looking after Rukia. But every time Rukia asked Rangiku what had she owe to her sister, Rangiku only smiled sadly and said that because of Hisana, Rangiku didn't turn into an emotional wreck and was able to let go. To let go of what, Rukia never knew.

Year after year, Rukia bloomed into a beautiful dainty flower; Byakuya cannot bear to see the face that reminded him so much of his late wife, so he busied himself often just so he didn't have to see her nostalgic face. Rukia never heard her brother said that aloud, but his facial expression told her everything—although he never shows any expression whatsoever—but Rukia live with him for seventeen years, off course she noticed. At first, Rukia was hurt—she thought her brother hated her. But she quickly understood what her brother was thinking when she stared long enough on the mirror—staring at her own eyes, she saw the reflection of Kuchiki Hisana. Rukia was emotionally wrecked that day when she realized that compared to Hisana, she was like her twin. Therefore, after that day, Rukia knows what her brother was actually thinking—she understands and she let him keep his distance.

Her first manga she ever read was Detective Conan that Momo lent to her when they were in high school. Since then, she fell in love with Shinichi Kudo or Conan Edogawa, the eagle-eyed detective who never fails to solve every mysterious case. She wanted to be like him when she was a lawyer. Detective Conan manga was useful for her—in her own ways. When she was in high school, there was a simple case of a broken window. Her home teacher was mad because of it and her class was almost suspended if not for her splendid case solving. The culprit was Izuru Kira, Momo's ex-boyfriend, who was also from the next class. Thanks to Rukia's analysis, Kira was suspended for destroying school property and her class was saved. Since then, she had a new nickname, Conan's Helper. Momo created that name and she knew Rukia could not solve the case without Detective Conan manga. To show gratitude to Aoyama Goshou, Momo said. Rukia just laughed.

After graduating from high school and accepted in Oxford University, she was lonely. In England, it was rare to find Japanese folks like her, let alone an otaku. So that night, when he was found by the orange-haired stranger, she never expected to befriended him afterwards.

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It was suppose to be a peaceful night of summer, Rukia thought. But tonight was anything but peaceful. As usual, it was dark, humid, and cold and Rukia should've known better than going outside to buy milk and biscuits. But she was hungry, god-damn-it! Just walking for a few blocks is harmless, right? So why was she ambushed by these gang of thugs? They were five people with bulky built and frightening clothes. Her karate wouldn't be able to fend them off easily. Suddenly the nightmare of her sister's raping came crushing down at her. She shuddered inwardly but refused to show any weakness. _Don't worry, sister. I'll got out of this mess, I promise._

"Where are you going, little girl?" One of them licked his lips hungrily. Rukia resisted the urge to spit on his face and narrowed her eyes.

"Let's play for a while." Another said while swinging around a small knife.

Rukia narrowed her eyes more at the sight of the knife. They were armed and she was as good as helpless. She calculated the possibility in her head. She could fight them using element of surprise then took off as fast as she could. But running wouldn't be enough. They were five of them; she was outnumbered and she could easily be caught. She looked around cautiously. The road was clear and she was alone. They made her back up into a deserted alley. She had to do something before she completely trapped.

Suddenly a ridiculous idea popped in her mind. She didn't know if this will work, but if it did, it will give her time to put distance between her and those thugs to run towards a nearby police station. Being a great actress she was, she widened her eyes and pointed towards behind those thugs, "Look at that naked chick!" She exclaimed.

The five thugs instantly looked behind them eagerly, and Rukia used that moment to bolt with her dainty legs instantly, never look back. She knew those thugs already after her, but she was not a free runner for nothing. Unfortunately, to her dismay, she haven't been in this neighborhood for too long and she didn't know where she was going. "Help! Help!" She cried out desperately. She doesn't usually ask someone to help her—she held pride of herself for being an independent girl—but when time calls to shove, she doesn't want to die too. Suddenly her cries was cut with a large hand latched itself onto her mouth and she knew she was doomed. Nevertheless, Rukia wouldn't come down without a fight. She promptly bit the hand and bolted again, didn't know where she was going. Another strong hand latched itself around her neck, choking her. She stopped abruptly and she could smell alcohol from behind her.

"You've got guts, girlie. I like feisty." The voice on her ear disgustingly said.

She could just picture the man licking his lips and she sent a powerful jab of her elbow towards the man stomach. The hand loosened and she quickly unlatched herself and put up a fighting stance. She didn't know what to do, but damn her if she didn't fight tooth and nails before they touch her. Calculating possibilities be damned, because now they begin to throw themselves at her. She began throwing jabs, kicks, and uppercuts. The man with small knife lunged at her and she ducked from the impact of the knife, swept him off his feet and used her own weight to knock the air out of him. She was about to use the knife for her advantage when she saw shadow looming from behind her, revealing one of the men was about to swung a metal pipe at her. Rukia brought her hands up, ready for the damaging impact—but it never came.

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It was a peaceful evening of summer, Ichigo thought. There are no disturbance, no nuisance, and no classes today too. So far, the day went smoothly for him. He was able to buy the newest volume of Naruto manga—it was rarely found in England—and was able to read them with no disturbance whatsoever. There are no phone call from Keigo or text from Mizuiro who always successfully pester and annoy him—no phone calls from nagging Tatsuki who always told him what to do. There are no love-texts or sudden visits from blabbering—and dare he says, annoying—Inoue. Though he wouldn't mind Chad's company; he was a quiet guy and a man of few words—but he went to Spain after graduating; he was intended to study there, near his homeland. Ichigo was all by himself and he wouldn't have it any other way.

He was reading the sci-fi Gundam Seed manga that he never had a chance to read to; until he realized it was already dark and he had not closed his window. The night breeze blew the cream-colored curtain as he walked over from his bed to his window to close it when he heard a feminine voice cried.

"Help! Help!"

His instinct rushed and he looked down from the window to the street. It was a small girl, crying for help and five bulky men are after her. Ichigo narrowed his eyes and opened his window wider. He quickly put away his pink framed glasses in to his back pocket. He planted his foot on the window frame and—without any second thought—he jumped from his second-stories window. He landed securely and gracefully on the firm ground, jumped through a fence, and ran towards the crime scene. The small girl was fighting expertly against those men. She obviously had a fighting experience. But he noticed that the girl was failed to notice that one of the men were sneaking behind her, ready to swung a metal pipe at her. That was when he interfered.

With inhuman speed and accuracy, Ichigo caught the swung of metal pipe with his bare hand. He saw the man's eyes widened. Ichigo grinned sadistically. The adrenaline rushed. It felt such a long time since the last time he fight like this. Ichigo pulled at the pipe, making the man stumbled forward to him and he kicked his ribs—knocking him out cold. Another two men lunged themselves at him. Ichigo narrowed his eyes. He ducked from their fists and delivered an uppercut with his right hand and a punch to the stomach with his left hand. The two men left squirming on the ground. Ichigo stood up and he looked down when he heard a crunching sound. Ichigo looked down to see... his pink framed glasses were crushed by his own foot. Ichigo scrunched up his nose and rolled his eyes. Now he needed another glasses—and they were a gift from Yuzu, damn it—which explained why its color was pink.

Too preoccupied with his crushed glasses, he failed to notice the shadow behind him. "Look out!" Ichigo turned in time to see another two men came at him. One held a baseball bat. Ichigo narrowed his eyes. When he was about to move, the girl tackled the one holding baseball bat, locked his hands behind his body, and knocked the bat away from him. Ichigo grinned and swung the abandoned metal pipe at the other man, punched it to his side. The man was squirming on ground. That would leave a few broken ribs, but he'd live. Ichigo threw away the pipe and walked towards the man who was still hand-locked by the girl.

Ichigo crouched in front of the man, "Do you mind telling us what you were trying to do?" He asked calmly.

"We, we, we just wanted to rob this girl. But our b-boss—d-down there—said he-he-he wanted... to take this girl..." He stuttered and quivered. "W-we-we just followed his orders, s-s-sir... I-I really have no idea that... she is yours... I-I-I swear!" Ichigo rolled his eyes and didn't bother to correct the man that he absolutely had no idea who the girl was and he just wanted to help—and fight. "P-please... let me go... I swear, we-we won't bother your girl again... please!"

Ichigo looked up to the girl, "So, what do you think? Should we let him go?" He asked the girl who was still manhandling the man. The girl looked up to him and his eyes widened. What he saw in her deep sapphire eyes are nothing but... fury. She was furious. He didn't understand. Usually girls that did this would just held grudges or scared, even if just a little bit. But this girl...

"No! We must bring them to justice! Or else, another girl will pay the price! I will not let another girl fall into their filthy hands!" She exclaimed, with eyes filled with determination and fury.

Ichigo sighed. It must be something about her past. She must've been raped or saw another girl being raped and she doesn't want to repeat that experience. "Fine, I'll call the police." Yes, Ichigo would admit that the girl he just saved was not an ordinary girl. What kind of damsel in distress manhandled the villain? However, judging by how she defended herself, he could not just label her as damsel in distress. If anything, she was more of a fighter—like him—but refused to use it if not necessary.

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They were walking side by side. After being interrogated by the police of what happened for exactly two hours, they finally could go home. Rukia glanced at the tangerine haired man by her side. "Are you okay?" She asked him quietly.

The man startled. "Eh? Yeah, I'm fine." Then he looked amused, "Shouldn't I be the one who asked you that? I saved you, after all."

Rukia sighed, "Yes, you did. I thank you. And I noticed your glasses were..." She trailed off. Once again, she was being burden to someone she doesn't even know. "I'll buy you another one."

"Eh? You're kidding me? No, you won't." The man bluntly refused.

"Huh? What's wrong with you? You should be happy I wanted to buy you a new one!" Rukia was annoyed. She was trying to be kind, yet this man refused her kind-deeds. She could not let him go without expressing her gratitude. The least she could do was buying him new glasses after his glasses were crushed because of the fight. He fought to save her, after all.

"Please, I'm a man. We have pride of getting things with our own money." He said as he ran his hand through his hair.

After he said that, she understood. "Sure; men pride." Rukia rolled her eyes. _What's wrong with men and their pride?_ She wondered quietly. "I'm getting you a new one whether you like it or not." Rukia was going to prove that she was more stubborn than he was.

The tangerine haired teen sighed loudly, "I really have no choice, have I?" He asked. Rukia smirked as she shook her head. "Fine. But that doesn't mean I'll wear it." He said as he ran his hand through his tangerine hair, but following her nonetheless.

"Whatever, carrot-top." Rukia said, pretending to be annoyed, but the soft smile on her face betraying her.

"Excuse me? Who are you calling carrot-top, midget?" Now he really seemed annoyed.

"Off course it's you. Last time I checked, we haven't been properly introduced. I don't know your name and you don't know mine. So carrot-top it is!" Rukia proclaimed excitedly.

"Tch, it's Kurosaki Ichigo, midget. Remember the name of your savior." The man—or Ichigo—said smugly that made Rukia wanted to claw out his smug smile off his face. But she successfully resisted that urge—after all he did helped her.

"Fine, Mister Savior," She said with mocking tone. "It's Kuchiki Rukia." She finished.

"Well, nice to meet you, Miss Damsel in Distress." He said with mocking tone. Rukia rolled her eyes at the childish nickname.

"We're here." Rukia pointed at the Optic Shop. "Miss Damsel in Distress is going to buy her Savior new glasses." She said; stressed the word Savior in mocking tone—making the tangerine haired teen frowned deeply. "You shouldn't frown too much; it'll etch on your forehead forever." She teased.

"Tch, let it be." He said. Apparently, he was more hot-tempered than she thought. She shrugged it off and bought him spectacles with black and orange frame. And that was the one he wore, until now. Besides, it was better than pink-framed glasses any day.

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"Yo," Ichigo greeted when he saw the bespectacled Rukia at the cafetaria. She didn't use her glasses last night when he saved her, though. Then again, neither did he.

Rukia looked up from her cell phone to see the bespectacled tangerine-haired teen that had saved her several nights ago, "Hey." She greeted back.

After that, they ate in awkward silence until Ichigo broke it, "What faculty are you in?" He asked, trying to get into a normal conversation.

"Oh, law." She answered shortly.

"Really?"

"Yeah. You?"

"Medical."

Those were their first awkward conversation. It was not that they were anti-social, it was just they were not used to speak with each other in this kind of situation. Ichigo was used to bond with his friends in tough condition (read, through fighting) not through speaking—in fact, he believes that speaking is not communication. Meanwhile, Rukia's not-so-pleasant past had taught her not to trust any person easily—this bespectacled tangerine-haired teen included.

"Why are you in medical?" She suddenly asked. It's not that she want to know about him. She tried to be friendly and going on the conversation. She hoped this wouldn't be too awkward.

Ichigo raised an eyebrow. Why the sudden need to know about him? "Do I need a reason for choosing my faculty?"

"Off course. We all do." Rukia said as-a-matter-of-fact-ly. In fact, she chose the law faculty for her own selfish reason.

Ichigo's eyes went soft—almost vulnerable and Rukia instantly knew this person was like her—he had the same selfish reason as her. She was about to tell him not to tell her if he didn't want to, but then he did something she didn't expect, "Then, let me ask you; why are _you_ in law?"

Rukia's eyes widened as her question backfired her and she hung her head with sad and hard eyes. "I cannot answer that—not now." Ichigo's eyes softened as he remembered the night before—where she told him that those thugs must be brought to justice. It must be connected to the reason why she is law faculty. Perhaps something more personal? Maybe one of her family or perhaps even herself? He studied her appearance and actions more thoroughly; suddenly he had the sudden need to know more about this girl. Suddenly her phone rang. She looked mildly surprised but she answered the call, "Hello, Nii-sama?" Ichigo raised an eyebrow hearing the formal title. "Yes, I am fine. I hope you are well. My studies are all right, Nii-sama. Yes, I made friends, too. No, I have no boyfriend for now. Yes, I know... Off course, Nii-sama. Anything else do you need? Okay. Goodbye, Nii-sama." And she hung up.

Ichigo looked at her appearance and accessories once more before he spoke to her, straight in the eyes, "You're Kuchiki Byakuya's sister."

Rukia's eyes went wide, "How do you know? I didn't spoke his name."

Ichigo smiled his Cheshire grin. "Yes, you didn't. But I did hear that you addressed him and talked to him formally. Your surname is Kuchiki. Sure, there are a lot of Kuchiki in this country, but do they all wear Chanel dress, YSL shoes, Dior bag, or Android cell? I don't think so. You're from high class family. I connected it with your name and I concluded that you are must be the Kuchiki from Senbonzakura corporations. Everyone knows who built and headed that corp; Kuchiki Byakuya. You, addressing him as Nii-sama, only strengthens my conclusion that you are from Kuchiki 'Senbonzakura' family and that you're Byakuya's little sister."

Rukia gaped at him like a fish and Ichigo started to think if he talked too much. "Then how come you didn't know it when we first met?"

"You were wearing simple clothes back then, I couldn't really tell." Ichigo shrugged. "You were only wearing a baby blue and yellow sundress. But judging from your plastic bag that you carried and abandoned when you manhandled those men, you were just on your way home from mini market, right? Because I remember just beside that Optic shop you brought me last night, there was an apartment. I bet that is where you live. Around there, the closest mini market is the one on the left, two blocks away. I know it because I usually go there."

She gaped again, "You're a genius." She breathed. At first, she just wanted to praise him. But after that Ichigo winced and Rukia noticed it. Her frown returned, "You are, aren't you?" She asked suspiciously.

"Uh..." For the first time, Ichigo didn't know what to say.

"It's okay. If you don't want to, you don't have to tell me." Rukia's eyes softened in understanding.

Ichigo sighed. He didn't know what drove him to say what he said, but he said it anyway, "Yes, I am." Until now, Ichigo didn't know what made him trust Rukia so much that he uncovered his life-time—not to mention perfectly kept—secret to her. "Please don't tell anyone."

Rukia smiled, "Not a soul." She said as she crossed her heart. Ichigo's eyes widened at that pose. That was usually what his mom did when she promised something. Then he smiled softly and that's when he knew why he trust this bespectacled raven-haired girl. She kept that promise. Until now, only she knows that he is a genius.

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Ichigo doesn't usually take his glasses off. He only do that when he was about to fight—he cannot let his glasses crushed and hurt his own eyes now, can he? There is no particular reason for it. Ichigo just never let people see his face without glasses without his consent. Those glasses are his own symbol of trust. He only let the ones he trusted to see his face without glasses. The ones who ever saw him without glasses are only Tatsuki—since she is his childhood friend, so she already knew how he looked like before he wore glasses—and Chad—since he met him when Chad saved his ass in eighth grade. Another one was Rukia—because they met when he saved her ass and she bought him a new one that he wore until now. That's amazing, seeing how Ichigo easily trusted her and he haven't even know her more than a year since they first met. Not even Inoue knew how his face looked like without glasses and he doesn't intend to let her know any sooner; despite that Ichigo already knew Inoue since they were in high school. He only put off his glasses at his own room—that is only when he felt like it, which is rare. He doesn't even put off his glasses when he slept or bathed. He lets people call him nerd; that is exactly the image he needed to build. He doesn't want anyone to know that he was actually a genius or a fighter. Only Rukia knows the truth about Ichigo—and only Ichigo know the truth about Rukia.

Rukia was known in the faculty as the Ice Queen. She never showed mercy for the ones she deemed guilty and she will put them in jail to be punished properly for what they did. It was only a year since she studies in Law Faculty; yet she has won more than 150 cases of kidnapping, murderer, raping, and corrupt governments. People call her a genius; some calls her a true Kuchiki; some calls her cheats and uses her brother's cash to win cases—those are the worst issue she has heard. She never listens to those whisperings behind her—whether it's an awed or suspicious whisperings. For her, they are insignificant. In a meeting, she would put her Ice Queen façade and with her intelligence, she will win the case and the real culprit will be brought to the proper justice according to the law. She never lets anyone sees the true her and she always wore her 'business woman' tone when speaks to someone—whoever they are. People show respect to her. She never let her Ice Queen façade melts in front of everyone. To make sure no one sees through her, she always wore silver trimmed glasses with white frame in front of everyone. Only in front of Ichigo she can be her normal self. Only Ichigo knew the truth about Rukia—and only Rukia know the truth about Ichigo.

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* * *

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"Kaien cheated on me."

Ichigo turns so fast he is sure his neck is going to sore. "What?" He asks incredulously with wide unbelieving hazel eyes, "With whom?"

Rukia sighs, "Nami Miyako." She says slowly. Ichigo sees the light in his companion's eyes dims and he cannot help but growls as he puts down his Naruto manga and starts to walk towards his door. "Where—where are you going?"

"To teach that bastard some lessons," Ichigo says without even bother looking at Rukia.

Rukia's eyes are as wide as saucers, "Don't, idiot! We haven't even broke up yet! I just spotted him with Miyako at the gazebo and..." She trails off.

Ichigo stops abruptly and turns towards his companion who is still seated comfortably on his bed. "And what? Did you hear what he said?" He asks, gripping her shoulders gently—with gentle tone that only Rukia gets to hear. Ichigo realizes he should hear her story first before he broke Kaien's nose for breaking his best friend's heart.

Rukia hangs her head down, "He said he just dated me so that he could find out what's behind my analysis; what makes me won cases. He said he was sure I bribed the judge and lawyers. He wanted to humiliate me in front of everyone that I am just a good for nothing otaku and he said that Miyako is the only one he loves—that he hates otakus, that's why he wanted to destroy me." Rukia takes off her glasses on to Ichigo's desk and rubs her teary eyes furiously. "He has been engaged with Miyako—and he dared to date me; he even did that just to destroy me afterwards! What a coward!"

Ichigo grimaces at the sight of his companion's hysterical state and he brings a sobbing and trembling Rukia into his chest. He takes off his glasses on to his desk—next to Rukia's—and he buries his nose in her raven locks. He rubs her back soothingly; all the while cradle her small form in his arms back and forth. "Sshh, it'll be alright. It'll be okay. I'll take care of him. Don't cry, Rukia." He said in soothing manner. Never—all in his life knowing Rukia—he has never seen her cry. This is the first time he sees her cry and he swear there won't be the second time. He strokes her short raven hair and tightens his hold on her. "It'll be fine. Everything will be okay. I'll break his nose when I see him, I promise." He says as he buries his nose on the juncture of her neck—breathing deeply.

"I can't believe I was so stupid." He hears her sobs and she clutches his shirt, making wet splotches of her tears—Ichigo doesn't mind.

Ichigo tightens his hold on her, "You're not stupid, okay? You are the smartest girl I've ever met. You speak your mind and you have a mean left hook. So don't dare you call yourself stupid, okay?" He said as he rubs her back in a soothing manner. "It's his fault—not yours. You—we—will bring him to justice—like you always said, okay? If you can't do it alone, then I'll be there to do it with you. That's what I'm here for. That's why we're here now, aren't we, Rukia?"

"But—but, but I... He... he knows that I'm an otaku... and..." She trembles.

"So what if he knows you're an otaku?" He cuts down whatever she wants to say. She looks up timidly with teary eyes. He smiles softly, "I'm one too. And I dare him to insult us, so help me I'm going to kill him." He says without loosening his hold on Rukia. Rukia is still shaking in his arms, but her sobs has ceased.

"If he knows that we're an otaku, you'll lose your image too. Is it okay?" She looks up timidly from his chest to his face.

Ichigo smiles softly—his frown disappear completely. He messes her hair affectionately, "Don't worry—I think I can live without image. Besides, I don't think otaku is an image needs to be shame on, don't you think so?" He asks softly. Rukia sniffs cutely then nods her head timidly. Ichigo grins and messes her hair once more. A smile blooms on her face; despite there are some streaks of tears left on her face. Ichigo wipes them easily. "I don't mind loosing my image. After all, we're gonna lose our image together, aren't we? As long as we're together, I don't mind."

Rukia smiles and blushes prettily. Then she sighs and leans on Ichigo's broad chest while Ichigo leans on his headboard, props by a few pillows—his and Rukia's. "Why are we always lost our dates before the third week?" She absentmindedly wonders.

Ichigo grins, "Because we love our mangas more than we love our dates, sweetheart." He says, repeating the same exact words Rukia had said when he had wondered almost the same thing.

At that, Rukia smiles softly and sighs contentedly. Ichigo puts his hand on Rukia's smooth back as she leaning on his chest, stroking her absentmindedly. The silent is comfortable and Ichigo's eyes droops, almost falling asleep when suddenly Rukia jerks her head away from his chest, exclaims, "Yes, I have an idea on how to make our dates not breaking up on us!" Ichigo practically jumps when this happened. He groans and rubs his face—idea and Rukia in the same sentence usually doesn't do him any good. Ignoring his groans and mutterings, "We can make over each other!"

Ichigo eyes her unbelievingly, "We what?" He asks incredulously.

"We make over each other. You know, I'll make over you and you'll make over me. (A/N: Okay, I think this grammar is totally wrong over here)" Rukia says, gesturing Ichigo and her with her dainty hands.

"What do you mean make over?" Ichigo asks. He still doesn't understand the women logic she suddenly possessed.

"Well, we can make over our appearance and our personalities so that people won't go away from us anymore. You know that we're both still having difficulties in remaining relationships." She says as she runs her hand through her short hair. "We can learn from each other. We don't have to change our personalities or looks completely—we can just copy each other a bit." She says as she plays with her fingers. "It's okay if you don't want to. It's just a suggestion. Besides, you never listens to what I say anyway, so—"

"Okay."

"It's alright if you—what?" Rukia stops suddenly.

"I said okay, okay? I'll do it. Besides, it'll be fun to make over you into an alien from Venus or something." Ichigo grins sadistically—and he earns a bruised chin for three days for that comment. "Damn, you really have a mean left hook."

After that day, when Ichigo finishes his practical class, he sees the one called Kaien emerges from Law faculty building, holding Rukia on place with hands on her waist. Ichigo's frown deepened and he takes off his glasses in his breast pocket. He sees how Rukia's pose in his arms seems to be stiff and he can see in her eyes that she wants none other than get out of those hands. Ichigo fastens his pace and when he was close enough, he swings his arm and it lands on Kaien's cheek—hard. Kaien instantly let go of Rukia who then rushes into Ichigo's arms for comfort. Kaien slumps on the asphalt ground, holding his broken nose.

"What the hell was that for, bastard?" Kaien yells.

"For making Rukia cry yesterday, bastard. You should know that whoever makes her cry have to face _my_ wrath." Ichigo says as he tightens his hold on Rukia. "I don't want you to touch Rukia ever again—or this time, I'll break your arms." He says as he holds Rukia's hand and they turns away—leaving that cheating bastard alone on the asphalt. That is the last time Ichigo sees Kaien near Rukia.

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* * *

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Matsumoto Rangiku —or Ran—is everyone's favorite waitress in _Super Hot Café_. She is cheerful, kind, always smiling, beautiful, sexy, flirty, naughty, bubbly, but not an airhead, knows when to shut up, still a nice woman, and can kick ass if she has to. She has been working as a waiter in this café for a few months and since she works there, customers keep coming and piling up until they need to hire a few more waiters. Besides that, she is also Kuchiki Rukia's childhood friend and mother hen. She will nag if Rukia doesn't do her chores and if she hasn't eaten yet. She knows that she is the only mother figure that Rukia knows. Rukia has lost her parents when she was born and a few years after, she lost her sister. Rangiku is doing everything she knows to keep Rukia sane. She watched how Rukia transformed from a cheerful, energetic, and happy little girl into a cold, introvert, and a fighter teenage girl. She knows all there is to know about Rukia, because she knows her sister would want her to take care of her little sister if she were still alive. At least Rangiku owed Hisana that much. Yes, she is a few years older than Rukia. She knows if Rukia's best friend is a nerd boy and if she is an otaku—a secret only she and the nerd boy knows. Therefore, when she hears that Rukia is going to _not_ being an otaku anymore, Ran bets that she will not make it through more than three weeks without her Detective Conan mangas. But she is astounded when she get to look at Rukia's new look.

"Hi, Ran. The usual, please." Ran recognizes the familiar voice. Ran turns to greet her when her jaw drops. Rukia is there, on the counter. Her hair is cut and is now shorter, just tickling her jaw line. She is no longer wearing her silver trimmed glasses, but she wears contacts. She is more cheerful than usual, with dark blue blouse that shows her creamy shoulder and tank top with golden embroidery under the blouse. To top it all, she wears hot pants—something that Ran knows Rukia should have never associated with. At Ran's dumbfounded look, Rukia grins, "So? How do I look?" She twirls around a little so that Ran could get a full view of her and Ran notices that a few men drools at her exposed creamy thighs.

After a few moments, Ran finds her voice, "Who are you and what have you done with the real Rukia?" She successfully asks.

Rukia pouts, "Aww, you don't like it? I thought people were looking at me the moment I walked in."

"Oh, they were, all right. They were raping you with their eyes." Ran says as she rolls her eyes.

Rukia eyes Ran's exposed cleavage, "As if you're one to talk." Ran blushes at what she is referring to and Rukia grins triumphantly.

Ran glares at her, "It doesn't matter! You shouldn't be wearing—" Ran's words are cut off when a blue-haired man come into her view and casually throw an arm around Rukia's exposed shoulder. Ran narrows her eyes at the blue-haired stranger, "Who are you and what is your arm doing around her?" She asks dangerously, pointing a cream-covered whisk towards him.

"Whoa, Ran, temper! This is my new boyfriend, Grimmjow Jeagerjacques." Rukia says as she leans her head on his—this 'Grimmjow' person—shoulder. "Grimmjow, this is my childhood and over-protective friend, Matsumoto Rangiku." She introduces them.

"Yo, there, sexy," Grimmjow grins casually as he waves his arm as a greeting. Rukia doesn't notice it but Ran does notice that Grimmjow's eyes are eyeing Ran's exposed cleavage and breasts like a dog eyeing a steak on a grill. Ran narrows her eyes. Even more when she notices that Grimmjow's hand are wondering around Rukia's exposed thighs. Ran almost growls. How could Rukia choose a man who is obviously a pervert and below her? She personally thinks that the nerd boy she befriended with have more respect towards women than this Grimmjow ever will. Ran is about to yell at Grimmjow to take those arms off Rukia when the door rings, signaling another customer. Automatically, Ran greets, "Good morning and welcome to Super Hot Café. How can I help you?"

Rukia turns to the new customer and smiles at him, but her smile falters when she saw a girl she does not recognize that he brings with him. "Ichigo," She greets.

The tangerine-haired man she calls Ichigo smiles back and waves, acknowledging her presence. "Rukia," He greets back. Then his attention is brought to Rukia's childhood friend—Rangiku... something. He is never good with faces and names. "Hey, Rangiku-san. Hot choco—"

"Hot chocolate for Kurosaki and Ice chocolate with peppermint for Rukia. Coming right up!" Ran cuts as she saunters away from the counter to go to the kitchen.

The two couples are alone now and they thoroughly checking out each other. Ichigo and Rukia's eyes met again. "You look great," They both say at the same time. They look stunned for a second before looks away, laughing, chuckling and blushing.

"I've told you my handiwork is going to be great." Rukia says as she stares at Ichigo from hair to toe. Ichigo's hair has grown longer, past his ears and his collar, strands of hair gathered above his eyes, shadowing his eyes and eyebrows, and at its tamest. He is no longer using his black and orange framed glasses but his hair shadows his eyes, making him looks more mysterious and dangerous. He is wearing a white shirt with printed-words on it and a black vest with white outline. As his pants, he wears faded jeans. Ichigo looks so hot today. The girl is so lucky to be with him. _I wish I were the one with Ichigo_, Rukia thinks. She immediately blushes at the thought and she shakes her head, _whoa there,_ _what was I thinking? Ichigo is my best friend_.

"You look great too," Ichigo compliments. He looks at Rukia more thoroughly. Her creamy thighs exposed and he frowns when he saw a hand creeping up on them. She wears a dark blue blouse that exposed her creamy shoulder and he scowls even more when he saw a hand around them. Rukia's hair is cut; tickling her jaw line, making her face looks fresher and her eyes looks bigger and shiny than usual. Her pink lips are slightly part and Ichigo suddenly has a sudden urge to run his tongue on them. Realizing his dirty thoughts, Ichigo shakes his head. _I shouldn't think this way, this is Rukia—my best friend, damn it!_

A cough wakes them up from their own world. Rukia recovers first and she coughs, "Anoo, this is my... boyfriend, Grimmjow Jeagerjacques. Grimmjow, this is my friend, Kurosaki Ichigo." Rukia introduces them both. Both males extend their hands and shakes with intensity that only men can understand. Rukia can almost see the electricity from their locked gazes and rolls her eyes, _men_. "And your... date?" Rukia timidly asks—almost doesn't want to know the answer.

"Oh, anoo... this is Dokugamine Riruka. Riruka, Rukia." Ichigo says, introducing them as quickly as possible, then turns around, rubbing his hair.

"Ichigo-kun, who is this girl?" The pink-haired girl asks, rather rudely. "Is she your ex?" She asks again.

"Wha—? She's my friend!" Ichigo almost yells.

"Friends with benefits?" Riruka bites back.

Ichigo growls and Riruka steps back, "Don't even dare call her that." Ichigo warns with dangerous glint in his eyes.

"You're awfully protective towards someone you claimed to call 'friend'." Grimmjow says and uses his arm to bring Rukia closer to him. Ichigo frowns deeper at this. "Well, here's some news to you, pretty boy. Rukia is mine now, and you already have yourself a fucking buddy. So stop flocking yourself to _my_ girlfriend and go get a room somewhere."

Riruka raises an eyebrow at the nickname Grimmjow had labeled her, "Excuse me? Fucking buddy? I'm Ichigo-kun's girlfriend—not just some fucking buddy, you know." Riruka says smugly as she clings to Ichigo's shirt.

"Riruka, please—not now," Ichigo manages to growl at her. Other than that, Ichigo completely ignores her.

"Grimmjow, that's not polite." Rukia warns Grimmjow timidly when she can already see Ichigo's balled fist. "You shouldn't have said things like that."

"Oh, come on, baby. You've choose me over him already. Now he is nothing but a _friend_ of yours and he has no control over you whatsoever." Grimmjow counters back. Rukia has nothing to say because what he said was right. "Come on, babe. Just get your chocolate and let's get out of here. I can't wait to touch you in private." Grimmjow says as he pulls Rukia by waist and bends down to her level, licking and munching her lips as she squirms and whimpers in his arms to get away. She can feel his arms are all over her, from her shoulder to her thighs, from her back to her stomach. Rukia gasps when Grimmjow's hand touches her breasts and she could already taste Grimmjow's tongue inside her mouth—when suddenly other strong arms pulls Rukia away from those torments and the next thing Rukia see is Grimmjow on the floor, wiping his bloodied lips.

Ichigo was seeing red. One minute, he saw that blue-haired bastard pulling Rukia into his arms—as if she is his property—and then starts to devour away her lips while Rukia is obviously not comfortable and doesn't want to—while his hands are all over her. When he sees his hand squeezes her breasts and she gasps, that is the last straw for Kurosaki Ichigo. He pulls Rukia away from that asshole by her waist and punches his cheek—hard. His breathing is hard and his body is rigid. His balled fist trembles because of the sudden wrath he suddenly feels running through his veins. He could hear voices inside his head; _he touches Rukia! Eliminate him! Execute him! Mutilate him! Obliterate him! Tear him to pieces! KILL HIM!_ He does his best of holding back from tearing that bastard apart by balling his fist so tight, he cannot even feel that they're bleeding.

"Ichigo...?" Rukia's tiny voice calms him down. He glances down at Rukia in his arm. Her lips are redder from the abuse Grimmjow had treated her. Her cheeks are pink in embarrassment. "I—I'm fine..." She says shyly. Ichigo doesn't say a word, he simply tightens his hold on her.

"Ichigo-kun! How could you? You have never holding me like that! Why didn't you?" Riruka says unbelievingly as she looks how Ichigo is holding Rukia protectively against his body. "You love her, aren't you? So why did you agree to date me in the first place?" Riruka almost yells.

"Riruka—not now, damn it!" Ichigo growls.

"What the hell is going on in my café?" The four people turn to look at the waitress by the counter. "Grimmjow—or whatever the hell your name—you are _not_ touching Rukia or come to this café _ever_ again! Do you get me? Or else, I will report to Kuchiki Byakuya so he can obliterate you himself!" No one dares to mess around with an angry Matsumoto Rangiku as she kicks Grimmjow's ass out of the café with a broom. That is the last time Rukia sees Grimmjow. "And you two!" Ichigo and Rukia turn to an angry Rangiku with nervous anticipation, "Kurosaki—since you saved Rukia, I will still tolerate you going out with her, but I do not want to see you enter my door ever again! Do you hear me?" Ichigo anxiously nodded, his sweat drops. "Rukia!" Rukia's body winced when Rangiku calls her name with much wrath in her voice. "I don't want to see you hang out with that Grimmjow guy or wearing that kind of outfit ever again or I'm gonna tell your brother! And I'm sure your brother is _not_ going to be happy. Do you get me?" Rukia nodded eagerly. Ran sighs, calming herself, "Good. And you, there... Miss... Pink?" Rangiku points at Riruka. Riruka points at herself confusedly. "You can still visit this café—as long as you are not with this orange-haired Kurosaki. Do you understand?" Her voice is softer now, but Riruka is confused.

"What the hell did I do?" Riruka asks to no one particularly.

"You dated Kurosaki, that's what you did." Ran answers her.

Riruka scoffs, "Hmph, I've already broke up with him." Riruka says as she saunters away from the two, disappears behind the café door and never again to be seen.

The silence is uncomfortable at the café. Then suddenly Rangiku put down two cups of chocolate. "Hot chocolate and ice chocolate with peppermint. Now hurry up, get your chocolate, pay, and get out of here!" Ichigo and Rukia do exactly that—except that they practically sprint away after paying their drinks.

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* * *

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Rukia plays with her short strands of hair as her fingers dances on the keyboard of her laptop. Her eyebrows are down slightly, signaling that she is deep in thought. Then her eyes light up—although her expression is pretty much the same—and start to scroll the page up. She clicks the 'print' button and she can hear the sound of printer automatically works its magic. The raven-haired girl sighs as she leans back on her chair. She takes off her silver trimmed glasses and massages her temple. Her sapphire eyes are filled with determinations. "This time, I'll get you, Aizen." She whispers to herself.

She hears their apartment door is being unlocked and opened. She hears the familiar grunting and rustlings at the front door. She smiles lightly and shakes her head. "Rukia, can you come here and help me, please?" She hears him protests.

Rukia rolls her eyes, "Hold your horses, I'm coming." She put back her glasses on the bridge of her nose and come out of her room to help her so-called lover. She sashays towards the tangerine-haired man who is currently holding five bags of kitchen necessity. "Really, Ichigo—until recently, I thought running errands are a job for women—until I came to live with you." She smirks as she lifts two of the bags.

Ichigo growls, "I ran for errands because we were running out of eggs and milk for weeks but you are too lazy to buy them yourself, woman!" But that isn't enough to wipe that smug smirk off his lover's face. "All you buy is Detective Conan and Naruto manga." He adds, this time with a smirk.

Rukia pouts cutely at that, "You read them too!" She counters pathetically.

Ichigo simply smiles and shakes his head. He puts the bags on the kitchen counter and Rukia does the same. Ichigo stares at her. She is wearing his favorite shirt—too big and too loose for her. The collar is hanging on one shoulder and it can be doubled as a dress as it reaches her knees. Does she even wear anything else under that shirt? Ichigo takes off his glasses and smirked lustily.

Rukia catches him staring and smirking at her. Her cheeks blushes, "What?" She asks cautiously. Usually when Ichigo has put away his glasses with that perverted smirk, it means he is up to no good.

"Oh, nothing," Ichigo says with that oh-so-handsome smirk as he corners her and puts a hand to cage her between him and the wall. "I was just thinking how sexy you are in my shirt." He says in husky voice on Rukia's ears. Rukia shivers. He is too damn close. She feels Ichigo takes off her silver trimmed glasses and put it to God-knows-where.

"I-Ichigo..." Her voice catches in her throat when Ichigo lips cover hers. Rukia closes her eyes and melts under him. Ichigo brings his hand to her face and hair, stroking gently, as Rukia kisses him back and puts her arms around his neck. Ichigo tilts his head to deepen the kiss and Rukia pulls away first, gasping for breath. But Ichigo hasn't done yet. He puts open-mouthed kisses all over her jaw, her neck, her ear, and her collarbone. Rukia shivers and sighs contentedly, tilting her head to give him more access. "Hm... Ichigo..." When he sucks at the sensitive spot on her neck, she moans. "Ahh, don't bite, dummy..."

Ichigo gives a last butterfly kiss on her neck and nose when he pulls away and nuzzles her hair. "Hmm... I love you," Ichigo breathes.

Rukia smiles contentedly, nuzzling his chest, "I love you too, dummy." She pulls away to give a peck to his lips, "You're too tall." She pouts cutely.

Ichigo chuckles sexily, "No, you're just too small, sweetheart." He bends down to place a kiss on her forehead. "And I won't have you any other way." He says as he presses his forehead against hers.

Rukia can't help but smile. "This time, I'll let the 'small' comment pass. But you wouldn't be so lucky, next time." Rukia warns but her eyes hold a playful hint in them.

Ichigo smiles softly and lets her go, puts back his glasses to its previous place—on the bridge of his nose—and starts to arrange things on the kitchen shelf. "So, how's your case is doing?" He asks absentmindedly.

"I finally got an evidence to get Aizen." Rukia says as she wears her glasses again.

Ichigo turns at her, eyes wide, "Really? That's a far jump progress!" Then he smiles.

Rukia nods approvingly, "It is. Then, how are your patients doing, _Doctor_ Kurosaki?" Rukia asks teasingly.

Ichigo pauses, his eyes darken with lust, and he leans to her with lusty smirk, "You know, you sounded _really_ sexy when you call me 'doctor' just now." Rukia's cheeks blush scarlet. "What about we forget about my patient and let's just skip to part where we are in our bed?" Ichigo teases huskily as he scoops Rukia in his arms and dashes into their bedroom.

"Ichigo! Kurosaki Ichigo, put me down this instant!" Ichigo do not pay to mind Rukia's flailing around as he closes their bedroom door with his foot. "Ichigo!" We can hear Rukia's muffled screams from another side of the door of their apartment.

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* * *

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Three years before, after they ran away from Rangiku's café,

"You know, I started to think that your idea is ridiculous." Ichigo said.

Rukia sighed, "I agree." She rubbed her now short hair. "Then, let's just back to our previous condition then?"

"An otaku?"

"An otaku."

They both grinned and put back their own glasses on the bridge of their nose. They looked at each other and grinned with pink cheeks. "So... we won't deny we're an otaku when someone asks us anymore?" Ichigo asked.

Rukia smiled, "Maybe not. We're from Japan—we're an honorary otaku, you know?"

Ichigo chuckled then stopped. He looked like he was thinking something. "Hey, Rukia," Ichigo started. Rukia looked up at him. "What happened back there—I, I really didn't what possessed me. Really, when I saw that bastard was groping you, I couldn't help myself." Ichigo said, as his face blushed pink.

Rukia's face reddened, "I-It's okay, really. I was also surprise he dared touching me in front of public. I was about to slap him when you beat me to it." Rukia said as she played with her fingers. "Anyway, thank you—for what you did back there. Just try not to break someone's nose because of me again, okay?" Rukia asked as she smiled softly with a blush on her cheeks. Ichigo has always thought that Rukia is pretty—beautiful, even—but on that moment, he thought she looks so damn cute that he couldn't resist the urge to hug her—so he did. To say that Rukia was stunned is an understatement. "Ic—Ichigo? Are you okay?" The only time he hugged her is when she cried over Kaien and when he was down at his mother's death anniversary.

"No," Ichigo said as he put his nose in the juncture of her neck. "Nothing's wrong."

"Then, why are you holding me?" Rukia asked.

Ichigo pulled back and looked at her with melancholic eyes, "Do I need a reason just to hold you?" He asked. Rukia's eyes went wide and she realized that she really did not have any reason to say 'no' to him. Therefore, when he leaned on her and pulled her in to his arms while his nose buried in her hair, she let him. "I think..." Ichigo started. "I know why I do what did." He said carefully—his voice slightly muffled because he talked through her hair. The scent of lilacs and snow from her hair calmed him.

Rukia brought her arms to circle around him—encouraging him to continue. "Why?" She asked gently—knowing that he was talking about why he hit her so-called boyfriend.

"I think... I like you, Rukia." He finally said—still muffled through her hair—but Rukia heard it perfectly.

Her eyes went wider than saucers. _Ichigo? Likes me?_ "You mean like... Is it _really_ like 'like' or just 'like' like friends?" She asked. She knew her question might seem vague to anyone who had not heard their full conversation. However, Ichigo understood perfectly what she meant.

She heard him sighed and she shivered when his hot breath fanned over her hair and ears. "I don't know if this feeling is to be categorized as 'love' yet because I've never fall in love before I met you so I can't be really sure. But one thing I'm sure... is that I care for you more than just friend—or sibling, Rukia." He explained like a smart person he is. Rukia understood. "I just know that... when you're happy, I'm happy too. When you're sad, I want to punch the one who made you sad. And I was devastated when I heard you calling that bastard your 'boyfriend' and just wanted to tear him to pieces. Are they... are they enough evidence to prove that I'm in love with you, miss soon-to-be lawyer?" He finally pulled back and he stared at her softly with a half-smile, half-smirk.

"Ichigo... I also don't know if my feelings towards you are to be called 'love' yet, but..." She smiled shyly at him, "I feel the same."

Ichigo's smile broadened. "You know, because we haven't figured out these feelings yet, what do you think if we go on a date?" He asked. "If you like it, we can go on another one, and another one—and another, another, another—"

"Okay, I get it, dummy!" Rukia laughed as she pushed him away playfully and ran off—indicating Ichigo to play with her.

Ichigo understood and chased her playfully. "Hey! Come back here, midget! You can get lost in the crowd easily with you lacking height!" Ichigo grinned when she stopped but he realized he was making a bad mistake when he saw her angry sapphire eyes.

"What did you say, Carrot-top?"

Finally, Ichigo ended up with a bruised chin for a week. _She really has a mean left hook._

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Author's Note:

And that's wrap, I guess. Twenty-three pages—minus two pages because I use them for my blabbering. Sorry if I can't describe them into a proper otaku. I am not one, but that doesn't mean I don't like manga. So, I thought, I'll just make them like me—that's why I just made them wear glasses and reads manga. (I swear, I'm such a lousy author.)

Crappy ending—I know. I'm still working on it—on making a better ending for my stories, I mean. I'm not used to make endings and I tried to make this not looking too sappy. I'm sorry if this lacked feelings or if there are grammar errors everywhere (I swear, there must be hundreds of it in this story alone). Does the hugging scene was too sappy? And what do you think best: "_Ichigo pushes up his glasses_" or "_Ichigo pushes up his spectacles_"? I think I use 'glasses' more in this story. I'm not a master of analogies or metaphors—but I swear, I'm writing this as best as I can. Plus, I'm using present tense for what happen now and past tense for what happened in the past. In this story, Ichigo and Rukia finished their studies. Rukia works as a lawyer—currently handling the case of Aizen, the corrupt government, Ichigo works as a doctor in Ishida's hospital as cardiologist and cancer specialties—and they both living together in the same apartment. Just an explanation if you're curios about the end of Ichiruki. Oh, and of course they'll get married soon.

I didn't show up in this web for a good reason; I just finished my National Examination and I just now have time to continue my stories. I didn't abandon them, okay. When I did, I just ran out of ideas. I hope I did not disappoint anyone with this fic and I hope there is someone kind enough to click that blue button below and review.

Notes for Searaki Icchy—in case she read this: kalo nggak bisa baca fic yang dalam bhs inggris ini, sabar dulu yah. Saya akan segera bikin versi bhs indonesianya—dengan bantuan google translator dan sedikit kemampuan mengedit saya. Iya, aku memang malas ==a Jangan marah yah. Dan plis, review—jangan ngeflame yah.


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